Some incredible news has come out of the California ruling from the case of Shiloh Quine, a transgender woman serving a life sentence in the state. The lawsuit, launched on behalf of Quine against the state of California’s Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) asserted that the Department’s failure to provide her with sex reassignment […]

In the last couple of weeks I’ve been talking about compassionate release, specifically as it relates to the seriously ill and elderly. While it doesn’t precisely fit into the same discussion, individuals with disabilities face many of the same challenges. Some prisoners’ disabilities may indeed make them candidates for release, but regardless of their status […]

There are many aspects of exercise that are exciting and productive, but one of the many components has to be the accessibility of the actual movements. No matter where a person is, whether it be the comfort of the home you grew up in, a hotel halfway around the world, or the Spartan confines of a 6′ by 9′ prison cell, accessibility is a must. These movements, or exercises, can be done alone or in any size group. So, if exercising is so easily within reach of the vast majority of the people on the planet, why aren’t more of us doing it?Image courtesy blogcritics.org

There are many answers to this question, but we think the primary barrier is that people tend to think that exercise and fitness need to be harder than they really do. Please understand, we are not saying that effort and dedication aren’t needed when attempting to get in shape. What we want everyone to understand is that the movements themselves should not be intimidating. Fear of engaging in the actual muscle movements should never stop someone from engaging in them in the first place.

Every exercise in this article can be modified to make it harder or easier. Just because you cannot do a pull-up does not mean you shouldn’t work out your back; find the movement you can do that uses the same muscles, thus fulfilling the same exercise goal as a pull-up. We are going to present seven movements that can be done anywhere in a safe, controlled, and reasonable manner, whether it’s the home, a hotel, or even a prison cell. The point is to simply try each on for size and see where they take you.

Exercise #1: Squats (Quadriceps, Hamstrings, Glutes)

If you have no time for anything else, DO SQUATS! A more specific breakdown will be provided later, but for now, use a chair. Simply act like you are going to sit down, and when your bottom touches the chair, stand up. During your descent, focus on keeping your hamstrings (back of your legs) tight. As you stand up, squeeze your quadriceps (front of your legs) and your glutes (your bottom). When squatting, ensure that your back is flat and your descent is slow and smooth. Full range and continuity of motion are essential to get the full benefit of each repetition.